Formed by songwriter/guitarist Al Barile (then a machinist at the General Electric plant in Lynn, Massachusetts and a student at Northeastern University), SSD started performing at smaller venues throughout the greater Boston metropolitan area in the summer of 1981. The band quickly gained notoriety within the local music scene for intense performances charged and for the provocative antics of its core group of followers, the Boston Crew.
The original lineup was Al Barile on guitar, Springa (David Spring) on vocals, Jaime Sciarappa on bass and Chris Foley on drums. They released their debut EP The Kids Will Have Their Say on their own X-Claim label in 1982. Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat was a friend and supporter and his Dischord label's logo appeared on the back cover.
In 1983 they added second guitarist Francois Levesque and released Get it Away. This EP is widely regarded to be their best record. The X-Claim pressings of it and The Kids Will Have Their Say are both highly collectable.
Like many hardcore bands - particularly those in the Boston area - SSD, as they were now officially called, were heading in a heavy metal direction. In 1984 they signed to the Boston label Modern Method and released the How We Rock EP which was rooted in the hardcore sound but exhibited overt heavy metal characteristics, such as a relatively high number of lengthy guitar solos. After signing to Homestead they released the Break it Up LP in 1985. Their first (and only) full length LP, it had both feet planted in the metal genre, leaving behind all trappings of punk and hardcore.
SSD broke up in 1985.
Jaime Sciarappa went on to play bass with the Boston hardcore band Slapshot for a short time.
After the breakup Springa went on to front the short lived band Razorcaine and the comedy rock projects Die Blitzkinder (with The Slaves) and Springa as Tom Jones. His flamboyant persona and lounge lizard lifestyle during this time stood in marked contrast to the straight edge rhetoric of SS Decontrol. In the early 1990s he would move to Chicago to pursue comedy further with The Second City.
In 1991 Al Barile compiled Power for Taang! records. It spans SSD's entire career and is the only official release in print today. In the early 1990s he took up the bass guitar and he and Levesque formed the hardcore band Gage.
Jock Itch
SSD Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The US hockey team is the best
Anyone different is a commie to you
Anyone black is a nigger to you
You wear nice clothes think
You've got class
Like to get drunk and kick some ass
Practice kicks on the wall
Bats, lead gloves won't help no more
As no one leaves out your door
You mess with our people and you will pay
Won't allow it to the very last day
You're a bouncer at a club
Think you're so fuckin tough
You like to throw your weight around
But only when other bouncers can be found
You like to beat on un-united punks
When Hardware youth comes
You'll take the bumps
The lyrics of SSD's song "Jock Itch" depict a person who prides themselves on being patriotic and tough. They wear the American flag on their chest and believe that the US hockey team is the best. However, they have a narrow-minded view of the world and anyone who is different from them is labeled a communist or a racial slur. They try to project an image of class by wearing nice clothes and getting drunk, but in reality, they like to pick fights and think they're tough. The lyrics also suggest that this person may have a job as a bouncer at a club, where they enjoy using their physical strength to dominate others.
Additionally, the song highlights that this person's tough exterior is merely a facade. They practice kicks on walls and think that using bats and lead gloves will make them invincible. But in reality, they won't be able to escape the consequences of their violent behavior. The lyrics warn that they will eventually fall and pay for their actions. The overall message of the song is that violence and narrow-mindedness should not be glorified, and that standing up against bullies and intolerance is the right thing to do.
Overall, "Jock Itch" is a poignant commentary on toxic masculinity, jingoism, and the harm that it can cause on both an individual and societal level.
Line by Line Meaning
You wear the American flag on your chest
You pride yourself on being a patriotic American
The US hockey team is the best
You believe the US hockey team is superior to all others
Anyone different is a commie to you
You view anyone who doesn't conform to your standard as a communist
Anyone black is a nigger to you
You use a racial slur to refer to people of color
You wear nice clothes think
You believe you have a sense of style
You've got class
You think you are sophisticated and refined
Like to get drunk and kick some ass
You enjoy drinking and fighting
Practice kicks on the wall
You train your fighting skills in your spare time
Think you're tough but you will fall
You overestimate your strength and ability to win fights
Bats, lead gloves won't help no more
Weapons won't save you from the consequences of messing with certain people
As no one leaves out your door
You are violent and dangerous, and people fear leaving your company
You mess with our people and you will pay
You will face consequences for harming people who are part of our community
Won't allow it to the very last day
We will resist your aggression and prejudice until the end
You're a bouncer at a club
You work as a security guard at a night club
Think you're so fuckin tough
You have an inflated sense of your own toughness
You like to throw your weight around
You abuse your power and authority to intimidate others
But only when other bouncers can be found
You are only aggressive when you have backup from other bouncers
You like to beat on un-united punks
You take pleasure in attacking vulnerable, weak individuals who aren't able to defend themselves
When Hardware youth comes
When a group of tough, organized youth arrive
You'll take the bumps
You will suffer the physical consequences of your violent behavior
Contributed by Muhammad Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.